Voyager Demo

[Sport Rider]

while at the Concours Owners Group National in AZ this summer, Kawasaki had their demo truck there. I snagged a demo ride on a new Voyager. I really liked the ergonomics and ride of the bike, along with amenities it has, but the motor with the 6-speed was really severely underpowered. did I have a bad demo bike, or is this what others are reporting as well? I was doing 60-65 in 6th gear and had to downshift to make it up a hill without losing speed.

[CBO Vaquero]

Wonder if that was a California model bike? I know that mine don't like to pull big hills in 6th gear, it is a double overdrive gear and really takes the big bike out of it's powerband. I have to be up around 70 mph or so in that gear to pull large grades. Plus it gets waaay better with more miles on it.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by CBO Vaquero

Wonder if that was a California model bike? I know that mine don't like to pull big hills in 6th gear, it is a double overdrive gear and really takes the big bike out of it's powerband. I have to be up around 70 mph or so in that gear to pull large grades. Plus it gets waaay better with more miles on it.

You have to understand the guy was at a C14 rally and his handle is sport rider. To someone that rides a C14, a Voyager is a slow pig and it is by comparison to a C14. Just saying. If he likes a touring bike with sport handling, get something like a K1600. It's better for two up than a C14, but has all the bells and whistles and does everything well.

[highwayman2011]

[QUOTE=Sport Rider;637581]while at the Concours Owners Group National in AZ this summer, Kawasaki had their demo truck there. I snagged a demo ride on a new Voyager. I really liked the ergonomics and ride of the bike, along with amenities it has, but the motor with the 6-speed was really severely underpowered. did I have a bad demo bike, or is this what others are reporting as well? I was doing 60-65 in 6th gear and had to downshift to make it up a hill without losing speed. [/QUO
Sometimes you have to downshift. There is a sweet spot above 2,500 RPM keep it there.

[ponch]

[QUOTE=highwayman2011;637623]

Originally Posted by Sport Rider

while at the Concours Owners Group National in AZ this summer, Kawasaki had their demo truck there. I snagged a demo ride on a new Voyager. I really liked the ergonomics and ride of the bike, along with amenities it has, but the motor with the 6-speed was really severely underpowered. did I have a bad demo bike, or is this what others are reporting as well? I was doing 60-65 in 6th gear and had to downshift to make it up a hill without losing speed. [/QUO
Sometimes you have to downshift. There is a sweet spot above 2,500 RPM keep it there.

60-65 is a little slow for 6th unless you are riding a more powerful bike.

[gv550]

No 900 lb touring bike will win any races even with a 'sport rider' driving it!
Downshifting from 6th to climb a hill or pass a car is normal.

[Vulcanrider03]

I agree with gv550.. what you get is awesome comfort and great egornomics

[Sport Rider]

I totally understand it's no sport bike. I like my Nomad for what it is, as well as the 1500 classic I had before. they are comfortable cruisers and when ridden within their intended target, they do great. but my other bikes both seemed to have more power than the 1700 had. I was just curious if it was because demo bikes can sometimes be "bad" or just the nature of the voyager. I once rode a Victory which was similar in performance, but others reported that they do perform better and I considered that it might just be in need of some work. you might be right about the Cali model. I really am not sure where their origin was.

Even though I ride a connie, I still like cruisers!

[gv550]

I think the full fairing sometime conceals how fast you are actually going. A lot less wind pressure on your face and body, and you can't see as much of the road immediately in front of the bike so it just seems slower.
I had a Nomad as well, and thought the Voyager felt a bit docile in comparison but after a few roll-ons and drag races with older Nomads the Voyager comes out on top every time.

[ponch]

I test rode a Vision, Voyager and Ultra with a 96" engine and I couldn't tell the difference in power between the Voyager and Ultra. The Vision had more mid and top range power. I ended up going in a different direction...The 1700 is a very mild mannered engine. There's no "on the pipe" at all.

[99xcsp]

Originally Posted by ponch

I test rode a Vision, Voyager and Ultra with a 96" engine and I couldn't tell the difference in power between the Voyager and Ultra. The Vision had more mid and top range power. I ended up going in a different direction...The 1700 is a very mild mannered engine. There's no "on the pipe" at all.

I also rode other large cruiser bikes and to be honest from a seat of the pants, they are all real close, some hit harder down low in the RPM others are more mid range, my buddy rides a VTX 1800 and from a 50 - 60 mph roll my 2013 Voyager just about pulls ahead, The power and Torque are all real close to each other. Just Enjoy the ride!

[blowndodge]

That's what sold me on Victory. Fully loaded packing double 70 mph up 10000 foot mountain passes with the cruise control on in 6th.

Kawasaki had the ability to add more power and didn't and I went to Victory like many others.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by 99xcsp

I also rode other large cruiser bikes and to be honest from a seat of the pants, they are all real close, some hit harder down low in the RPM others are more mid range, my buddy rides a VTX 1800 and from a 50 - 60 mph roll my 2013 Voyager just about pulls ahead, The power and Torque are all real close to each other. Just Enjoy the ride!

VTX 1800 should have more power than a Voyager 1700, both stock.

[otter]

Hill climbing in sixth... at 65? Good luck. Torque peaks at 2800 rpm. In Upstate NY, I was climbing hills in fourth at 55.

Comparing a sport bike to the Voyager is like comparing a fighter jet to a locomotive.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by otter

Hill climbing in sixth... at 65? Good luck. Torque peaks at 2800 rpm. In Upstate NY, I was climbing hills in fourth at 55.

Comparing a sport bike to the Voyager is like comparing a fighter jet to a locomotive.

May be a better analogy would be a jet fighter to a DC-3.